The Five Impossible Tasks of Eden Smith

November 1, 2023
Orphan Eden Smith meets her iconoclastic grandfather just as he's imprisoned by his Guild. Can she complete five impossible tasks to free him? After years in foster care, 13-year-old Eden learns she has a living grandfather. In the smiths' vast, secretive, rule-bound Guildhall, Vulcan's the only Eleventh-Level Master, but the Council jails him anyway for rules violations. Estranged from Eden's manufacturing father, the prickly Vulcan at first feigns disinterest in his granddaughter, but he thaws upon discovering her unexpected smithing skills. Meanwhile, Eden, lonely among the aging smiths, befriends kitchen boy Nathaniel. Like all Guild staff, he is a Jones, forbidden from smithing, but Eden finds that rule ridiculous. After all, her mother was a Jones. Recruiting Vulcan, Nathaniel, and other Joneses serves Eden well during the deadly tasks. Can she clean dishes, catch steel birds and rats, steal a girdle, and avoid Uriah Pewtersmith's vindictive troublemaking to save her grandfather, her life, and her new home? Eden is a resourceful, brave, sympathetic character in an intricately crafted and original setting. But the blend of tongue-in-cheek dark humor with genuine emotions feels uneven, and plot mechanisms are overt; Eden learns something vital to each task before attempting it. Eden and Vulcan have brown skin; Nathaniel is cued white, and contextual clues signal diversity in ethnicity and race in the supporting cast. Themes of family and prejudice thread this creative, slightly uneven adventure in smithing. (Adventure. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2023
Grades 4-7 Eden's childhood went from magical to miserable after her parents' tragic death-due-to-meteor, and after floating in the foster-care system for years, she's flabbergasted to discover that a grandfather has been found. After she's unceremoniously dumped at his residence, the massive and mysterious Guildhouse of Smiths, it becomes apparent that he's in serious trouble. The master metalworker is being imprisoned for various guild infractions, and as the bewildered pair grow closer, Eden learns that she can free him and reinstate his standing by completing five impossible tasks--at the risk of eternal expulsion for them both. Eden, unwilling to give up newfound friends and family, accepts the challenge. The unusual guildhall backdrop is incredibly creative and compelling, and the kooky cast of characters, including eccentric elderly silversmiths, is a pleasure to befriend. Eden's willingness to throw herself into the unknown and question prejudice is an inspiration, and her smithing studies provide a glimpse into an increasingly rare physical art. A truly memorable setting for a terrific tale.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.